Shaver having reciprocating means for the shear combs and inner cutters



L. M. SHOWERS, JR 3,411,206 SHAVER HAVING RECIPROCATING MEANS FOR THE Nov. 19, 1968 SHEAR COMES AND INNER CUTTERS 7 Filed March 22, 1966 INVENTOR:

Lewzs M. Showers Jr.

ask-3 12 v I N \\\\\\\W \W p J Wi/ /M United States Patent 3,411,206 SHAVER HAVING RECIPROCATING MEANS FOR THE SHEAR COMBS AND INNER CUTTERS Lewis M. Showers, Jr., 87 School House Laue, Rte. 2, Glen Mills. Pa. 19342 Filed Mar. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 538,476 1 Claim. (Cl. 3043.91)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shaver having reciprocating cutting head and inner cutters. The cutter head and cutters 'are operated by a drive crank which induces an oscillation motion to a rocker assembly head and inner cutters. A lower frequency reciprocation of the cutting head is produced relative to the inner cutters to comb the whiskers into the slots of the shear combs.

This invention relates to improvements in electric shavers. It is the purpose of this invention to provide a transverse, reciprocating combing movement of the cutting heads of an electric shaver. The combing movement to be of such frequency and magnitude so as to greatly reduce the number of passes required by hand, over a given area in order to comb all the whiskers into the shearing slots.

An object of this invention is to reduce the time and effort necessary to obtain a satisfactory shave.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will further become apparent hereinafter and in the drawings whereof;

FIGURE 1 represents an enlarged view in isometric projection and half section of a combined shaver cutting means and combing means, drive mechanism.

FIGURE 2 represents a horizontal sectional view taken as indicated by lines and arrows II-II which appear in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 3 represents a vertical sectional view taken as indicated by lines and arrows III-III which appear in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 4 represents a vertical sectional view taken as indicated by lines and arrows IVIV which appear in FIGURE 3.

In the interest of clarity, specific terms will be used in the following description. Such terms are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention but only to describe the particular apparatus shown in the drawings. Since there are many conceivable methods of accomplishing a combined power driven cutting means and combing means electric shaver, the description following is merely to convey a specific structure and not to limit the scope of the invention.

Turning now to the specific form of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings and referring now to FIGS. 3-4 thereof, a combined power driven cutting and combing action electric shaver, an incomplete outline of which is indicated by 1, the power motor is not illustrated except for the motor armature 2. The parts not shown are omitted as being so common to those skilled in the art as to require no illustration.

The motor and starter mechanism, which is shown only in part, is embraced by frame 3 through which the armature shaft 4 extends. Mounted on the armature shaft 4 adjacent to the armature 2, for the purpose of illustration, is a starter gear 5 which may be rotated by thruster 6 for starting purposes.

The end of armature shaft 4 having a journal bearing 7 in an extending through frame 3, is provided with a combing drive eccentric crank 8, FIG. 1, and a cutting drive eccentric crank 9.

3,411,206 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 Combing drive gear 10 mounted on combing drive eccentric crank 8 is restrained from rotation by extension 11 of pin 12 sliding in slot 13 in hub 14 of frame 3.

Internal driven gear 15 is an integral part of combing head drive eccentric unit 17 which is provided with a cylindrical eccentric surface 16, FIG. 2, and rotatively guided by bearing 18, FIG. 3, concentric to armature shaft 4.

The pitch radius of drive gear 10 plus the eccentricity of crank 8, relatively to armature shaft 4, is equal to the pitch radius of the internal driven gear 15, thus one revolution of armature shaft 4 and crank 8 will advance internal driven gear 15 and unit 17 rotatively at a reduced rate equal to the ratio of the eccentricity of the crank 8 to the pitch radius of the internal drive gear 15.

Eccentric block 19 surrounding eccentric unit 17, FIG. 2, in contact with eccentric cylindrial surface 16 is caused to move in a circular path by rotation of unit 17 but restrained from rotation within combing head 36 by sliding contact between surfaces 41, 42 thereby inducing a reciprocating movement of combing head 36, FIG. 4, guided by sliding on pivot and guide pin 26 and within aligning surfaces 37, 38, 39, 40, FIG. 2 of frame 3.

The circular movement of cutting head drive crank 9, FIGS. 3-4, in bearing 21 of cylindrical crosshead 22 induces an oscillating motion to rocker assembly 25 around pivot and guide pin 26 by a combined oscillating and sliding motion of crosshead 22 in rocker arms 23, 24, FIG. 4, of assembly 25.

Pivot and guide pin 26 is rigidly supported by beam 33, FIGS. 3-4, attached to frame 3 and in turn supports rocker assembly 25 confined between surfaces 34, 35, FIG. 4, of combing head 36 which is also guided by pin 26. Thus as combing head 36 is reciprocated on pin 26, assembly 25 will also reciprocate on pin 26 and crosshead 22, maintaining alignment of rocker arms 23, 24 with cutting heads 29, 30 respectively.

Cutting heads 29, 30 are composed of outer shear combs 45, 46 respectively, suitably and rigidly affixed to combing head 36 and provided with a plurality of transverse slots 47, FIG. 3, and comb teeth 48, housing an inner shear means 49, '50 FIG. 4, respectively, having substantially matching slots 47 and teeth 48, FIG. 3, slidably mounted within the outer shear combs 45, 46, FIG. 4, respectively, to provide a shearing action between adjacent teeth 48, FIG. 3, when inner shear means 49, 50-, FIG. 4, are reciprocated.

The oscillation of rocker arms 23, 24 around pivot and guide pin 26 is alignment with cutting heads 29, 30 respectively, reciprocate inner shear means 49, 50 of cutting heads 29, 30 respectively, by contact with surface 31, 32, FIG. 3, simultaneous to the transverse movement of combing head 36, FIG. 4.

From the foregone description it will be evident that rotation of armature shaft 4 terminates in a whisker cutting reciprocation of the inner shear means 49, 50 of cutting heads 29, 30 respectively, combined with a lower frequency transverse reciprocation of combing head 36 and cutting heads 29, 30 for the purpose of combing the whiskers into the slots 47, FIG. 3, for shearing.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. An electric shaver comprised of a suitable motor armature mounted in a suitable motor frame and surrounded by a suitable housing, said motor armature having an armature shaft extending beyond an armature bearing in said frame, forming a combing drive eccentric crank and a cutting drive eccentric crank in tandem, a combing head supporting a plurality of enlogated cutting heads, said cutting heads comprised of an outer shear comb suitably and rigidly secured to said combing head and in inner shear means slidably mounted within said outer shear comb, said outer shear comb and said inner shear means having alternate transverse slots and teeth adapted to shear whiskers, a plurality of integral rocker arms rotatively and slidably supported on a pivot and guide pin rigidly attached to said motor frame, driven end of each said rocker arm inserted into a drive slot of a said inner shear means and held in alignment by suitable confining surfaces of said combing head, a cylindrical crosshead slidably and rotatively assembled on driving ends of said rocker arms and said cutting drive eccentric crank, said combing head slidably mounted on said pivot and guide pin and guided by suitable surfaces of said motor frame, allowing reciprocal movement of said combing head transverse to the movement of said inner shear means, a combing drive eccentric block disposed between parallel guide surfaces transverse to reciprocal movement of said combing head, and eccentric unit rotatively mounted on said motor frame concentric to said armature shaft having an internal driven gear concentric to said armature shaft and an eccentric cylindrical sliding surface in contact with a matching surface in said eccentric block, a combing drive gear concentrically mounted on said combing drive eccentric crank, said combing drive gear suitably guided to prevent rotation of said combing drive gear as said armature shaft is rotated,

said combing drive eccentric crank having a throw suitable to substantially maintain tangency of pitch circles of said combing drive gear and said internal driven gear as said armature shaft is rotated, wherein, a suitable speed of rotation of said armature shaft by means of a divided transmission of mechanical movements will reciprocate said inner shear means of said cutting heads at a suitable magnitude and frequency for shearing said whiskers and simultaneously reciprocate said cutting heads transverse to the movement of said inner shear means at a suitable magnitude and frequency for combing said whiskers into the slots of said outer sheer combs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,318,351 5/1943 Alexay -4391 2,323,881 7/1943 Mehl 30-41.6 2,347,870 5/1944 Amdur 30-4391 2,327,363 8/1943 Mehl 30-4392 X 2,467,417 4/1949 Wurtele 30-4391 2,773,306 12/1956 Ranson 30-4392 2,830,364 4/1958 Barnard 30-4391 MYRON C. KRUSE, Primary Examiner. 

